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USA Today reports that, on Friday, October 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education initiated widespread layoffs that included nearly all employees in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, according to the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. The exact number of staff affected has not been confirmed by the agency, but union reports suggest most non-leadership roles were eliminated. These actions are part of a broader reduction in force across multiple federal agencies amid the ongoing government shutdown. Nearly 90% of the agency’s employees are currently furloughed. Among those let go were staff responsible for administering Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding, raising questions about the continuity of federal oversight for special education. The union is contesting the layoffs in court, while Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has reiterated her support for students with disabilities and floated the possibility of relocating IDEA oversight to the Department of Health and Human Services—an action that would require congressional approval. The consequences of these developments are not yet clear.
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The U.S. Department of Education fired nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in a wave of new layoffs that began Friday, according to the union representing the agency's employees.
